Romans 11:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here the Apostle says what is pleasing to the Jews.

Even if they had fallen a thousand times, the Gentiles would not have been saved had they not received the faith.

Likewise, the Jews would not have perished had they not fallen into unbelief and stubbornness.

But, as I said, the Apostle consoles the fallen Jews, proving perfectly that they can hope for their salvation if they change.

If, says the Apostle, so many received salvation when the Jews stumbled, and so many were called while the Jews were rejected, then consider what will be when they turn.

He did not say, "How much more their conversion," or "their change," or "their correction," but, "How much more their fullness."

That means when all of them come to Christ. By these words he shows that then there will be a greater and almost complete measure of grace and of the gift of God.

If, he says, the Jews by stumbling prepared salvation for the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were received when the Jews were rejected, and the fall of the Jews became riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness. That is, when they turn back, all will be saved. He speaks this to please the Jews and console them. For although the Jews fell, the Gentiles would not have been saved had they not had faith.

For if, he says, the world was enriched by nearness to God because Israel fell, and if the Gentiles were received precisely because the Israelites lacked a good disposition, then what finally will their reception be?

It will be nothing other than the destruction of death and life from the dead (Rom 11:15).

That they must turn can be learned from the multitude of divine sayings.

If through the diminution that came upon them the riches, that is, the abundance, of the Gentiles appeared, since the latter entered through the departure of the former, how much more would it have increased the number of Christ’s disciples if they had turned back and become preachers, not crucifiers, evangelists, not men who delayed.

It is evident that the world will be richer in good people if those who are blinded also turn back.

For if, when the greater part of them did not believe, those among them who did believe brought the riches of the knowledge of God to the Gentiles, then it is clear that, had all believed, they would have become suppliers of greater blessings for all people. For all would have believed more easily if they had not contradicted, but had preached the truth together with us.

In the Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle exhorts the non-Jews not to be proud before Israel, for a remnant from it will be saved (see Isa 10:22; Rom 11:27; Rom 11:5).

“Their trespass is riches for the world.” Here again the Apostle repeats the previous thought: because of the fall of the Jews, the riches of preaching came to the whole world. Or, as Theodoret says: “If even now, when the greater part of the Jews did not believe, some of them brought the riches of the knowledge of God to the Gentiles, then it is clear that, had all believed, they would have become suppliers of greater blessings for all people. For all would have believed more easily if they had not contradicted.”

Concerning chapter 4, verse 5, we have already explained that, when the Apostle speaks of justification by faith apart from works, he means the justification given in baptism.

He does not mean the justification that will be given at the judgment of Christ and will be final. For this final justification, both faith and works are equally necessary.

The necessity of this distinction between the two kinds of justification is especially evident from what is said below in chapter 11.

The Apostle says that the Israelites, except for the remnant preserved "by grace and not by works" in verse 6, "were hardened" in verse 7. They "fell" and were "diminished" in verse 12.

How many blessings for the whole world will this zeal of the Jews and their conversion to Christ bring! For the Apostle says, “If their fall is riches for the world, and their diminution riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness” (Rom 11:12). Here the Apostle of the Gentiles makes the deliberate remark that by his words he already wished to stir up zeal among his kinsmen according to the flesh and to save some of them (Rom 11:13-14).

According to the Apostle's depiction, the Gentiles who believed in Christ are incomparably happier than the Hebrews who did not believe.

But this must not give Christians from the Gentiles occasion for self-exaltation.

Having reminded them that the conversion from the Gentiles occurred, among other things, for the sake of the Hebrews' conversion, the Apostle develops a thought he had already expressed.

Christians from the Gentiles received great blessedness through the rejection of the Hebrews. Their conversion must bring still greater blessedness.

Therefore Christians from the Gentiles must in every way assist the conversion of the Hebrews. Their salvation will be like resurrection from the dead, so stubborn are they.

Then the fullness of the conversion of all will be accomplished.

St. Chrysostom says of this: "Here the Apostle says what is pleasing to the Jews.

He encourages those of them who have fallen, proving with abundance that they can hope for salvation if they change.

If, he says, so many received salvation when they stumbled, and so many were called while they were rejected, then consider what will be when they turn.

For he did not say, 'How much more their conversion,' or 'their change,' or 'their correction,' but, 'How much more their fullness.'

That means when all come to Christ. By this he shows that then there will be a greater, or full, measure of God's grace."

In the words, "their fall is riches for the Gentiles," the Greek for "fall" is ήττημα. Among other things, it denotes smallness, a small number.